Fried power line plunges northwest Kinston into darkness

Car headlights illuminate the intersection of Herritage Street and Plaza Boulevard on Saturday night as Kinston Public Services crews worked to replace a phase on a downed power line in the area of Carey and Hardee roads.

Janet S. Carter / The Free Press

By Wes Wolfe / Staff Writer

Published: Monday, May 19, 2014 at 08:03 AM.

While Kinston residents enjoyed unseasonably cool temperatures as Saturday evening slipped into night, in one area of the city lights flickered once, twice, three times, then out altogether.

Work crews with Kinston Public Services arrived on the scene near the intersection of Carey and Hardee roads around 8:45 p.m. to find a power line burned in two.

An image posted to Twitter at 10:12 p.m. by City Manager Tony Sears showed a black line a couple inches wide and several yards long burned into the lawn where the line fell.

Workers restored power to the affected residences and businesses shortly before 10:30 p.m.

A message left for KPS Director Rhonda Barwick as to what caused the line to ignite and how many people were affected wasn’t returned as of press time.

Wes Wolfe can be reached at 252-559-1075 and Wes.Wolfe@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @WolfeReports.

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